Love Beyond the Horizon
is an installment of the anime adaptation of Boys Over Flowers. The episode first aired on November 17, 1996 in Japan. It was followed by "A Date in the Snow" on December 1 of the same year. Tsukushi Makino pleads with Shizuka Todo to stay in Japan for Rui Hanazawa's sake. He becomes angry after overhearing her. At the airport, he makes the decision to follow Shizuka to France. Tsukasa Domyoji later asks Tsukushi out on a date. Plot At Eitoku Academy, Tsukushi Makino stares into the fountain while thinking about Shizuka Todo leaving for France and its impact on Rui Hanazawa. She then takes out her voice recorder and says "Will I ever be special to Rui Hanazawa?" Tsukasa Domyoji walks up from behind and tells her "Don't you have something to say to me?" She calls him an idiot then a bonehead, before he reminds her about her throwing up on his suit the night before. She tells him that she barely reminds it, just as a group of girls walk by. They are plotting to capture Rui's affections now that Shizuka is leaving. Tsukasa tells Tsukushi "You're just like them!" She is struck speechless and eventually runs off. Tsukushi is ashamed of herself, having realized that she was "thinking only about herself and not about the one she cared about." She crosses paths with Shizuka, whom was just telling the school about her leaving. Tsukushi then surprises Shizuka by suddenly asking her not to go to France. Now crying, she pleads for her to stay in Japan "for Rui Hanazawa's sake." Meanwhile, Rui walks by and overhears the conversation. Shizuka eventually says "I can't stay. I just can't." Tsukushi acknowledges what she said, but kneels down and asks her to stay again. Shizuka crouches in order to be at eye-level with Tsukushi. She explains why she has to take this opportunity so she will not have any regrets later in her life. The two shake hands and part as friends. Once Shizuka leaves, Rui confronts Tsukushi, yelling "Who asked you to butt in?" As he hurls more accusations at her, she is unable to reply for several seconds. Tsukushi finally comes out of her shock and answers "You were so sad. You might never see her again." Rui then declares "That's none of your business!," before yelling at her to go away. After Tsukushi runs off, Rui sits on the ground and says "Damn it!" Tsukushi continues running until she finds herself at Eitoku's elementary school playground, where she imagines the young F4 playing with Shizuka. There a teacher gives her advice, saying "Someday, you might treasure even the most painful memories." At the airport, the F4 and Tsukushi are wondering where Rui is since Shizuka is set to leave any minute. Tsukushi suddenly asks Tsukasa "Have you ever loved someone?" which leads to another question, "Is it really healthy to repress your feelings?" Tsukasa answers "No, that'd be stupid. It's like there wasn't a relationship to begin with." Tsukushi is struck by "how simple" his answer is and how easily he was able to solve the predicament. Everyone bids adieu to Shizuka, who asks them to give her "regards" to Rui. Though sad, Shizuka steels herself for the journey and waves one last time at everyone. Tsukushi reflects on her encounters with Shizuka as she imagines what her life may entail in France. After watching Shizuka's plane disappear, Tsukushi sees Rui standing nearby. Sojiro Nishikado, Akira Mimasaka, and Tsukasa immediately run up to him, asking where he had been. He then reveals that he has been there for an hour already and had watched Shizuka from behind a pillar. Tsukushi yells at him "If you love her, go after her." Rui then pulls out his airline ticket and briefly kisses Tsukushi on the forehead. Everyone goes outside to watch Rui's plane takeoff. Akira and Sojiro wonder about Tsukushi, saying "Didn't she have a crush on Rui?" Tsukasa tells them "It's like I've been saying all along, no chance!" He then stands next to Tsukushi and says "Let's go on a date." A plane flies by at the exact moment, so Tsukushi does not hear him. Cast and characters Other *Tsukasa's father Additional voices *Masataka Nakai (male student) *Mayumi Azuma (female student) *Sonoko Okuda (airport announcer) Staff *'Screenplay': Yumi Kageyama *'Director': Ryo Tachiba *'Animation director': Tomoko Ito *'Art director': Tomoko Ide Notes *The episode is adapted from the manga's nineteenth and twentieth chapters. *Flashbacks from episodes five, six, and ten are shown in this episode. *In Viz Media's release, the third DVD of the series was named after this episode. *The episode aired exactly a day before volume fifteen of the manga was published in Japan. References See also External links *"Love Beyond the Horizon" at the official website *"Love Beyond the Horizon" on Toei Animation Category:A to Z Category:Anime Category:Episodes Category:Anime episodes